


I Don't Know Why You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello

by purplepen76



Series: I Built the Pyramids for You, Babe [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Derek is a Good Alpha, M/M, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Pack Mother Stiles Stilinski, Pack in College, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Snapchat, Stiles makes everything better, Texting, The Hale Pack - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-03
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-11 02:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1167673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplepen76/pseuds/purplepen76
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer is over and the pack is separating for their first semester away. Aiden is left to keep Derek company and the two are able to bond more than before, but it's nothing compared to having the whole pack around. Text messaging and silly snapchats ensue and somehow Derek is pretty sure that everyone is going to be just fine.</p><p>OR</p><p>That time where Derek was emotionally constipated and won't admit that Stiles being Stiles helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is in the same universe as my other series [Home Is Where the Pack Is](http://archiveofourown.org/series/58277), this series is just about the college years before. This and all stories in this series can be read alone and you can read the other series first. The title is from 'Hello Goodbye' by The Beatles.

“Dude I’m just saying it’s going to be weird,” Stiles complained to deaf ears, “we’re all going off to college. When was the last time we separated for that long?”

"I know, but the only person who's going to be alone is Cora and you know how she is about her space. Everything is going to be fine." Scott said blissfully over the phone. Stiles' human ears could just hear Isaac's laughter in the background.

"That's not what I meant, oh nevermind. Are we meeting everyone at the loft?" Stiles changed the subject before Isaac had a chance to steal the phone and correct Scott's misunderstanding. "I'm picking up Lydia and Danny. Who's getting Allison?" It used to be a touchy subject for the two boys. When Derek had done the inevitable and taken down his crazy uncle the alpha powers had shifted back to him. The pack never really had the chance to adjust to two alphas, however because Isaac had gotten wounded badly and Scott willingly gave up his power as alpha to bring him back. Ever since the two had been inseparable and it had put a huge strain on their friendship with Allison at first. Luckily Derek had invited all of them into his pack and now all tensions were behind them.

"I think she's out with Cora, but I'll double check." The two girls had tiptoed around each other for the first few months of Cora's return, but time and Lydia's meddling made them fast friends and it wasn't odd to find one girl in the company of the other. Even Chris seemed use to the odd friendship and was more concerned when Cora wasn't in his house when his daughter was home.

"Okay cool, I'll see you guys soon then." Stiles waited to hear Isaac call out his goodbye too before hanging up and looking around his room for his keys. The normally neat room looked frighteningly empty now that he was all packed up for school. He, Lydia, and Danny were going to be the first to move into their dorms. They were all attending Harvey Mudd and their move in day was the day after next. Scott, Isaac, and Cora would be the next to leave just one day after even though Cora wasn't going to Stanford with the boys, she was off to the California College of Music. Allison and Ethan would be the last to leave in a week to the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Aiden would be staying behind to attend the local trade college with Derek.

Sighing to the empty room, Stiles snatched his keys off of the bare desk and ran down the stairs making for the door. He stopped short when he found his dad sitting in the living room, open case files littering the coffee table.

"Hey kiddo." John smiled tiredly to his son, not bothering to hide his work. He owed a lot of closed cold cases to Stiles and the pack and they had a silent 'what happens in the house stays in the house' policy when it came to detective work. "You meeting up with the pack?"

"Yeah, the girls wanted to have one last big meeting before everyone leaves. Do you need help though?" Stiles was already making his way toward the mess.

"No, you go. I'm going to have to learn to solve these without you soon anyway." It was meant to sound lighthearted, but Stiles knew just how lonely his dad would be with Stiles and all of his friends away for school.

"Nah dad it's fine, I can catch up with them later. What's the case?" Stiles made to drop his keys on the end table, but his dad put down the files and stood to stretch.

"You know I'm proud if you right?"

"Oh stop it Dad." Stiles blushed and waved the comment off.

"No really Son, I'm proud of you. Now go to your pack I'm sure you'll all miss each other when you go to school." Ever since his dad became more willing to learn about the supernatural he had become acutely aware of the pack and their needs as a whole. It had been his dad who had pointed out to him that they might all experience separation anxiety on a more primal level, even the humans.

"Okay, but I'm going to make sure I'm home all day tomorrow. You're off until I leave for school, right?"

"Right. Now go." Stiles left after a gentle nudge from his dad.

He tore out of the drive and made his way over to Lydia’s with practiced ease. Their friendship had been a natural progression, especially when Stiles put down the torch of his epic crush on her. Of course he still loved to tell her how beautiful she was and she loved teasing him right back, but things were so much different and Stiles honestly couldn’t be happier. Pulling up to her grand home, his old beat up Jeep looked a bit out of place in front of the manicured lawn, but it wasn’t an abnormal sight. He saw Danny’s bike in the drive and he lifted it into Jesse’s bed before walking up to the front door.

“You really should get that thing fixed.” Lydia’s mother greeted him at the door. She was dressed to the nines as always, having taken time off to spend with her daughter before she left, though Lydia said she was still hardly ever around.

“Hello, Mrs. Martin.” Stiles smiled brightly, knowing all too well that there was no sense going down that road with the stern woman. Lydia certainly got her imposing nature from her mother.

“She’s up in her room with Danny.” The slight roll of her eyes spoke volumes and she let Stiles in, leaving him to shut the door in her wake.

“What took you so long?” Lydia demanded when Stiles opened her door without knocking. Danny was sprawled across her bed, eyes scanning over his laptop screen. He nodded his hello without even looking up.

“I had to make sure I looked good for you.” Stiles wiggled his eyebrows and both of them looked up at him with a glare. “Alright, alright, I was just talking to my Dad. He seemed lonely and I just wanted to check up on him before I was gone all night.” Lydia’s face softened at the comment and Danny just went back to his typing.

“What time are we supposed to meet everyone anyway?”

“Not sure, let me text the guys.”

“Or you could just text Miguel.” Danny shot back, his tone only slightly bitter. Even though it’d been over a year since he’d figured out all of the supernatural things his friends were into and who Derek actually was, he still liked to bring it up every now and again. “Isn’t he being a jerk to you anyway?”

“Oh come on Lyds!” Stiles shot an accusing look at the girl who simply scrutinized her nails.

“He’s right though, we’ve all noticed it.” Lydia leveled him with a gaze again that made Stiles feel like it was suddenly all his own fault.

“ _Anyway_ ,” Stiles stressed when he received a knowing look from both of his friends, “are you guys all packed? My dad is going to take me down in the truck. We're leaving pretty early in the morning. I’m sure you got everything sorted, but if either of you need a ride…” He left the statement open ended. He knew that Ethan was renting a small truck to take Danny, but with her rarely talking to or looking at Aiden, Stiles wasn’t sure what Lydia’s plans were.

“Oh good, I was going to split my stuff between you two and ride up with you. I don’t not want to be stuck in a car with those two lovebirds.”

“I’d say that I resent that, but you’re probably right.” The toothy grin that Danny gave them was undoubtedly wolfy in nature. He fit into the pack so well that sometimes Stiles wasn’t sure if he was actually human anymore.

“O-kay,” Stiles huffed dragging out the ‘o’ longer than necessary. He liked avoiding topics that made Lydia uncomfortable more than not and the topic of Aiden or his twin Ethan made it pretty high up there on her ‘do not mention’ list. Despite that she and Danny still got along well. Danny was just usually sans boyfriend if he meant to spend any quality time with the girl. “Want to just get going? I’m sure it doesn’t really matter when we were supposed to show up anyway.”

The three made piling back into the Jeep a quick affair. Lydia took shotgun, at this point Danny didn’t even bother to try. The fact that he didn’t even notice nor thank Stiles for moving his bike spoke volumes of how normal this had become and it made Stiles smile in spite of himself. They made it to the edge of town where Derek’s loft was in no time. Scott’s bike was already there as were the twin’s.

By the time the three made it to the top of the building, it seemed like a party was nearly in full swing. Ethan and Aiden were off to the side, laughing over something that Allison and Cora were saying. Derek was talking quietly with Scott, no doubt about alpha and pack business, while Isaac was at the kitchenette, already busy mixing drinks. The small, harmless dose of wolfsbane was sitting next to the glass, no doubt there to spike the wolves’ drinks and make sure that everyone would be able to get absolutely plastered should they decide.

“Look who finally decided to show up!” Isaac called and Ethan broke away from the others to greet his boyfriend with a kiss.

“It’s all Stiles’ fault, you know what a princess he can be.” Lydia said as she brushed past the kissing boys. Allison and Cora met her halfway for a hug.

“I already told you I was just trying to look pretty for you.” Stiles laughed, walking up to Isaac and fist bumping him before allowing the wolf to lean in and scent mark his neck. Ever since Derek had become alpha and Cora had returned the pack was working more like a real wolf pack. Even the humans were getting treated like part of the family and Stiles was starting to finally get used to the intimate nature of being friends with wolves.

“Well, now that everyone is _finally_ here, we can get started,” Derek growled, his conversation with Scott clearly over. Scott and Lydia both threw Stiles knowing looks, but the brunet was well accustomed to ignoring looks from both of his best friends and he chose to grin through it. He made sure to sit between Lydia and Scott on the crowded sofa, the farthest from the grumpy alpha that he could be. “I just wanted to go over a few things since you’re almost all going to be pretty far from home. I know most of you will be at least on the same campus and that’s good. If you ever have any issues don’t hesitate to text me.”

“We’re going to do our best to all stay in touch anyway,” Scott added. “I know that we all have cell phones at least, most of us have facebook or at least skype. I know if plays with the wolf eyes some, but if you’re recording in low light with little to no backlight from your screen it works pretty well.”

“Everyone should make an effort to come home for breaks, too. We’re still a young pack and Aiden and myself will not be enough to keep the territory safe from supernatural forces.”

“Even Spring Break?” Stiles had meant it as a joke and while everyone else seemed to find it funny, Derek very clearly did not.

“Yes, _Stiles_ , even Spring Break.”

After the tedious business of an informal pack meeting, the fun began. Isaac was a master at making drinks and everyone appreciated his talents, maybe even a little too much. Even Derek loosened up some and took Isaac’s offered drink, but he’d stopped at one. Stiles couldn’t say that he entirely remembered the night, but the next morning found the pack a relative mess on the floor of the loft. Everyone seemed happier for it and even Lydia was less on edge around the twins. On the plus side, Derek didn’t even seem all that grouchy before halfheartedly kicking them out around noon.

The last hours of Stiles’ time at home was spent entirely with his father. He made sure to spend as much time with him as possible, more than happy to spend a lazy night watching tv together and on the morning that he was set to leave he even let his Dad make bacon. He was sure that the man nearly cried at the sight, but he would no doubt deny it and Stiles knew better than to press his luck. His Dad seemed to be in a relatively cheerful mood until they pulled up in front of Lydia’s house.

“Are you sure about this, Son? I mean this is _the_ Lydia Martin.” There would have been a time when Stiles would have been proud of his father for adding the invisible italics around her name, but that time had long since passed, even if the Sheriff didn’t quite believe it.

“It’s fine Dad, we’re just friends, she’s pack after all.” Stiles said in a way that he hoped sounded like ‘we are so done with this conversation’. Exiting the car, Stiles made his way up to the front door and like the day before, Mrs. Martin opened up without him needing to knock.

“Lydia!” The woman called, barely looking at Stiles. “The rest of her things are in the livingroom." She left him to load up the truck alone and Stiles could practically hear all of the concerns his father had.

“You’re sure she’s not just using you?” Had been the question of the morning since Stiles had mentioned that Lydia needed a hand with her things and a lift. Of course he was sure, but there was no way this scene did anything to help back him up. Just as he was sure that his Dad was about to lose it and say something, Lydia appeared in the door.

“Stiles? Mom why didn’t you tell me he was here?” The girl was out the door and wrapping her arms around the boy in no time. “Sorry, my mom is the worst,” she whispered and Stiles couldn’t help the smug look his shot his dad behind Lydia’s back.

“I know, Lyds. Want to just help me get the last of the bags?”

“Sure thing, if you want to just wait in the car I’ve got the last few things. I’m sure it wouldn’t kill my mother to help.” Stiles climbed back into the car and looked to his dad with a wide grin.

“Alright, I was wrong.” After the omission the Sheriff was much warmer to the idea of having Lydia for the ride and when she returned with her last bag, they set off to Harvey Mudd.

Room check-ins was a swirl of activity and Stiles quickly lost Lydia in the frenzy. With the help of his dad he was able to move into his double with ease. He was in a coed, mixed grade, nine person suite and while not all of his suitemates were there, Stiles could already tell he was going to fit right in if the nerdy decor was anything to go by. His actual roommate, Harry, seemed like a cool enough kid, though he was very introverted and didn’t seem too thrilled about living with a complete stranger.

_From Danny: Hey I’m up at West Hall, Lydia’s here too. You?_

_To Danny: I’m over at East Hall. I’ll see you guys in a bit?_

Move in was smooth after he’d gotten in all of his things, his Dad had run off not soon after. He had a town to run after all and Stiles couldn’t fault him that. At night, when he’d finally had the chance to settle in, he found himself lying in bed when his phone went off.

_From Sourwolf: How are the dorms?_

_To Sourwolf: Good. Danny and Lydia are in the same hall. I’m gonna visit them tomorrow._

_From Sourwolf: Good._

Rolling his eyes at his alpha’s lack of words, Stiles went to bed with a smile on his face and a good feeling in his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What the hell is a Snapchat? I don’t get it, what is it? Actually how did it get on my phone?"
> 
> “Stiles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter just would not let me sleep. I stayed up most of the night with it running through my head so when I finally woke up this morning I knew I had to write it! Here is the [map](http://obrienismyalpha.tumblr.com/post/75711321091/this-is-the-map-that-i-use-when-writing-my-series) that I use to figure out where the hell everyone in the pack is and how far away they are from home.

It was only the second week of the semester and already Allison was dreading getting up for classes. Going into the culinary arts had been a dream of hers since she was a child. It was so far removed from the archery image that at first her parents had thought that she’d been joking, but there was something about creating good food that countered her abilities to take life that always made Allison happy. She had been surprised when Ethan also applied. They had become closer over the summer. First because they knew they’d been placed in the same house at school and would have to see each other, and then because they actually rather got along well. She wished she could say the same about her and her roommates.

Allison wasn’t against having female friends. That would be ludicrous and while she was never going to reach Lydia standards of girly perfection, she embraced what being a young woman had afforded her both in society, but also in her family. Hunters or not, her father held a respect for her that Allison wouldn’t trade for the world, radical hunter’s traditions be damned. It was the idiotic, simpering, pouting kind of girls that she could not stand. Which is of course why she was rooming with one. Caitlin, her other roommate, was nice enough, quiet to a fault and totally anti-social, but it was Samantha that really drove Allison crazy. That girl was so lucky that Allison had been forced to leave her weapons at home.

Speaking of home, she missed it more than she would have thought. When she’d first moved to Beacon Hills she didn’t expected half of the shit that the place would eventually put her through, but in the end it was her home more than any place else in the world had ever been. She was so grateful to Ethan for being there to help ease the stress of not having pack there with her and she could only imagine what it was doing to him. Everyone had promised not to go back until Thanksgiving. It was like a training exercise to prove that they could all survive mostly alone. The only exception was that Cora was more than allowed to visit the three over at Harvey Mudd since she was alone and the drive between the two colleges was only a half hour in bad traffic.

A knock on the door made Allison remove her head from the cocoon she’d made of her pillows and Samantha glided over to the door and opened it like a schoolgirl waiting for her crush. Caitlin rolled her eyes at Allison from her desk across the room and the archer had to stifle a laugh.

“Oh,” Samantha sounded disappointed and Allison looked over just in time to see Ethan shoulder his way into the room, laptop in hand. “It’s your _boyfriend_.”

“Again, not my boyfriend.” Allison responsed with a complete lack of edge. She’d been trying to remind the idiot of that since they’d moved into Guest House. It was more than a little irritating how small the dorm was, a total of eighteen rooms. It meant that gossip spread faster here than it did in Beacon Hills, and isn’t that saying something. Sure she and Ethan were close, the physical touch of a pack member soothing both of them, but there were so many reasons why just no- not her boyfriend. To his credit, Ethan completely ignored the annoying girl, gently nudging Allison until she was sitting up on her bed leaving plenty of room for him to join her. Without asking he thrust a headphone into her right ear, popping the left into his own, before opening the laptop and bringing up skype. “Thank you.”

“No worries, I miss them too, but this time it’s just gonna be Stiles.” Ethan smiled when he pushed the video call button. It only rang once before the call was picked up on the other line. Suddenly Ethan’s screen was met with a bright white backwash, Stiles’ goofy smile making Allison smile right back.

“Before you two talk, I can’t find my headphones and the roommate is in, so no inappropriate comments about how much you love and miss me, yeah? It’s embarrassing guys!” There was a faint snort in the background and Stiles’ eyes flicked up to a place over his laptop. “Shutup Harry! People do miss me!”

“I didn’t even know you knew how to give them enough space to miss you.” It was a goodnatured jab and Stiles grinned, his teeth showing just enough to hold wolf like qualities and it made both Allison and Ethan laugh at the sorely missed sight. “Anyways,” Stiles started again, throwing a rueful look over the screen once more before focusing on his packmates, “Ethan tells me you’re not sleeping well.”

“Hey!” Allison glares at the muscly wolf next to her and he grinned right back, no longer scared by the archer’s looks. She was pack, like a sister to him, and he knew now that she wouldn’t hurt him.

“Just worried about you, Alli, that’s all.” It was the closest to an apology that she was going to get and it was more than good enough for her. Allison relaxed back against the wall, her arm pressing flush against the wolf’s.

“So yeah I’ve been having a hard time sleeping, just missing home,” the echoed _missing the pack_ didn’t need to be said and Stiles nodded, his smiling dialing down a few watts.

“Did you show her the thing yet?” The question was obviously directed at Ethan, but Allison still shook her head, confused.

“No, I was sorta hoping she would just unpack all of her stuff and find it?”

“Silly boy.” The two on the other side of the call heard it as silly wolf though and they laughed a little back. “Well you know what box I snuck it into, right? Go find it!” Ethan took the earbud out and Allison unplugged the headphones entirely so the conversation could continue.

“What do you mean you hid something in my stuff?”

“Well, I knew you’d miss it. Home I mean and of course the pa- um- group, but I also know you’re way too strong to admit it, so I kind of did a thing?” His voice started to sound more and more tense, like he knew that she would have punched him if she could, but instead Allison found the amount that Stiles cared bubble up in her heart and warm her over in a way that felt _right,_ felt like home, family, love, _pack_.

“Here it is!” Ethan said happily as he dug through one of the boxes under her bed. This would be the point where Stiles normally made a dog joke and the girl glared at the screen as if to warn him off of the thought. He was smart enough to pretend to look innocent, even if the look was all wrong on his face.

When Allison looked back to the side of her bed Ethan was holding up a very fluffy looking wolf stuffed animal. The fact that his coat was black as night and eerily reminiscent of their alpha back home was not lost on the girl. She grabbed at it, excited and in awe. The second it touched her hands a warm spark flew through it up her arm and into her chest. Her senses were dull compared to the wolves and even to Danny, who had the added strength of being in a relationship with a wolf, and Stiles who had been with Scott since the beginning and had never tried to put the supernatural behind him, but even she could feel that spark and smell the scent of pack. A tear started to form and fall from her eye before she noticed that she was crying or that she was hugging the stuffed wolf in a death grip.

“Ohmygodthankyou!” The words came out rushed and breathless and Ethan was by her side again, hugging her and the wolf close.

“We all took it home for a few days before we left. Well Scott and Isaac got it for nearly a week since they claimed they were due the right to both of their visitation times and no one wanted to argue that. Oh and Derek took it for nearly two weeks. I’m seriously considering getting one for him, I’m not kidding.”

“Thank you so much, Stiles.” Allison said again when she could find enough air in her lungs to form the words in a way that was audible to more than just the werewolf snuggling into her. The scent was comforting to her, it must have been intoxicating to him.

“There’s one more small thing, the wolf is from all of us, but then I put something else in there just from me.” Ethen stuck his hand back into the box without letting go of Allison or taking his eyes off the wolf. When he pulled it back up they were both surprised to see a familiar Beacon Hills lacrosse hoodie in his hand. Instead of the familiar number eleven sitting below an even more predictable ‘MCCALL’ Allison was surprised to see number twenty-four ‘STILINSKI’. “I know some people there are giving you two a hard time about being a couple, trust me Danny likes to rant about it when he’s drunk and his and Lydia’s dorm is literally one giant drunk party twenty-four-seven, and I know it’s not like that with us Alli, I never want it to be, don’t get me wrong, but if it helps I want you to wear that and remember that you have all of us here that love you to bits. And of course that was not the real reason I put it in there, no way I could have known about complete bitches,” Samanta was glowering from her bed and Allison felt instantly satisfied, “but really I just felt annoyed since the wolf thing was so my idea and of course Derek ruined it.”

“It’s perfect Stiles, really.” She hugged the sweatshirt to her just as tightly as the wolf.

“Good, I’m glad. Now as much as I love seeing both of your pretty faces, I have to get to class. Get some sleep Alli and we’ll catch up later, yeah? And Ethan keep an eye on our girl, I know she hates it, but she’s just going to have to get over the fact that we care.”

“Will do, Stiles.” Ethan gave the thumbs up while Allison did her best to hide her blush behind what she is suspecting would become a serious security blanket.

“Good. Catcha guys latter!” He signed out of the call quickly, presumably late for his class.

“See? It’s gonna be just fine Alli.” Ethan smiled as he pushed his laptop to the side.

“Your friend sounds like an ass.” Samantha commented with her glare still set firmly to her face.

“He sounds like a riot, actually.” Caitlin laughed as she moved around the room to get her own things. “I’m going to head to class, I think you should hang back and get some real sleep, Allison. I’ll take notes.”

“Well you’re not taking a nap here, I’m expecting company.” Company of course was code for Samantha's sleazy boyfriend who everyone was sure was just using her because she had money, but no one wanted to ruin what a perfect couple they made for each other and so Allison rolled her eyes, more than ready to go to class on only half a night’s sleep.

“Just come back to my room, my roommate is in, but he’s studying and the other should be out until tonight.” Ethan scooped up his laptop and the sweatshirt before offering her his hand. He knew better than to try and take the wolf from the girl.

“Whatever, you guys can go be weird in your ‘not relationship’ somewhere else.”

“Look Samantha,” Ethan said through gritted teeth, there was a definite growl to it that signified the anger of the wolf within, “you are a complete idiot. The truth is I’m gay. I have a wonderful boyfriend who is going to Harvey Mudd with our equally wonderful friend Stiles. Allison is a beautiful girl and man if I was attracted to her, I would be honored to call her my girlfriend, but that’s just not how things are. I love her to death, she’s the sister I never knew I needed and if you keep bugging her about this I will take it up to the Dean. I don’t have to tell you any of this, but I am in the hopes that your stupid little brain can wrap around it.” With that Ethan tugged on Allison’s hand and lead her out of the room and toward the other side of the building where his triple was. If they left her idiotic roommate gaping like a fish in their wake neither would have known because she wasn’t worth the extra attention.

“Thanks for that.” Allison smiled. She’d hated feeling like she needed to be rescued, especially being a simple human in a pack of wolves, but things like this seemed okay for Ethan to help her with.

“I mean it, Alli, you’re like a sister to me and I’m not going to let that bitch get on your case.” He opened the door, his roommate Alex nodded from the desk before going back to his work. Allison sunk into Ethan’s bed, clutching the wolf to her. “I’m going to go to the bathroom and then I’ll join you. I haven’t slept well either.” Allison nodded, her eyes already heavy as the fluffy wolf eased the tension of separation that had spread throughout her bones.

When Ethan returned he found the girl completely passed out, still clutching the wolf tightly. Smiling to himself, he fished out his phone and took a quick picture and instantly snapchatted it to the rest of the pack, making sure not to send it to Allison herself. What she didn’t know would never get him in any trouble. When he was sure that they all sent, he put his phone on silent and crawled over the girl’s small body, throwing his arm over her waist and holding her close. Before finally falling asleep, his hand brushed over the wolf and his wolf nearly purred in excitement to finally feel pack again.

* * *

“What the hell is a Snapchat?” Derek asked, his eyebrows doing their usual, comical scrunching thing. If Aiden thought he would get away with it, he would have snapchatted that image to the pack, but his phone was woefully out of reach and Derek was illegally perceptive.

“Oh you got it from Ethan too? It’s super cute, might give you a cavity.” Aiden responded from his seat on the couch. He’d moved in with Derek when they’d decided to go to the local community college together. The loft at Beacon Hills held too many memories and while it still technically belong to Derek, the two had chosen to move into a small apartment just outside of town, a little closer to the college without technically being off the pack territory. It was a temporary fix, but it worked for them and Aiden was not about to break the topic of permanent residence to his grumpy alpha.

“I don’t get it, what is it? Actually how did it get on my phone?”

“Stiles.” It was answer enough. The pack as a whole had discovered long ago that like the title itself wasn’t the boy’s real name, it held so much more meaning to it. Stiles was a mood, a train of thought, sometimes it could even be used to describe a way of life. They never used it as such in the boy’s presence, he had enough of a complex without them adding to it.

“Okay, let me show you how it works.” Aiden said, putting down his books and grabbing his phone. Derek followed his lead and sat back on the couch with his phone in hand. “It’s weird, honestly I didn’t think I’d like it at first when Stiles described it to me, but honestly it's kind of fun.” Aiden laughed at the look his alpha was throwing him and he pushed on. “It’s not a weird cult, promise. Anyway it’s a way to send stupid pictures and videos to your friends that they can only see for up to ten seconds before it disappears.”

“What’s the point?” Derek really didn’t think that his age difference with his pack meant all that much, but sometimes he wondered if he wasn’t too old for some of their antics.

“Okay, I know, sounds dumb, but look-” Aiden started and his phone buzzed with a snapchat from Stiles, “okay look. It says I have one from Stiles, so I just have to hold my finger on the message…”

An image of a textbook and the back of the seat in front of them came up on the screen and there is a line of text over it reading ‘did you see Alli? so cute!’. There was a countdown in the corner and while Derek wasn’t pay attention to it when it started it was quickly making its way down to one. The image was gone then, and the original screen with all of Aiden’s opened messages was back.

“Go back to that.”

“I can’t, that’s the point.” Aiden laughed and held his hand out for Derek’s phone. The alpha handed it over grudgingly and was not surprised when Aiden opened it with ease. Pack meant family, it also meant that privacy was a thing of the past. He would never tell them, but Derek was so very grateful that they’ve all stop treating him like a fearless leader and instead like an older brother. “Here let’s look at the one Ethan sent you.” Aiden held down on the unopened message and instantly a darker image popped up. It was obvious that it was day, but the shades are drawn. Someone must have a lamp on because there was light in one corner of the image, but the focus was on a sleeping Allison. She looked exhausted, though it could have just been the pixilated quality of the image. She was wrapped around something and it took closer inspection for Derek to realize it was the wolf stuffed animal that he’d made his hostage until the day that Stiles had stormed in and stole it back to hide it in the girl’s things. Before he could stop himself, Derek found a wide grin form on his face and a picture taking sound from next to him was the only warning that Aiden had taken the image and most likely sent it to all of his betas. Great, so much for his grumpy reputation.

“Aren’t you glad they can’t reopen or save snapchats?” Aiden asked and Derek grumbled, his smile gone, and stole his phone back.

“If you want to eat anything for dinner you better get your homework done.” Derek called on his way to their small kitchen.

“Yes Dad.” Aiden snickered back, not in the least surprised when Stiles’ snapchat popped up on his phone. That little gem of an image had only gone to the boy, though it served Derek right to think the whole pack saw it. Aiden knew that deep down their alpha was a big old fluffy stuffed wolf, he just would never admit it.

The image from Stiles was comical. It was a selfie with the boy’s eyes wide, pupils blown. The text was all caps and read clearly ‘ARE YOU TRYIN TO KILL ME????’, he could even read it in the boy’s voice. Laughing to himself, Aiden pocketed his phone and got back to work. He would not put it past his alpha to not feed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter came out even better than I'd hoped! I just wanted to really show some of the pack bonds before they get as strong as I assume them to be for my later stories. Keep updated with my writing at my teen wolf [tumblr](http://obrienismyalpha.tumblr.com/).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles makes more pack dreams come true and Derek is finally starting to notice :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the small delay in chapters, I was away all weekend. Expect the last two chapters a bit sooner!

College was a lot of work. Not that Scott thought it would be a walk in the park, but even as a freshman, pre-med was very demanding and Isaac didn’t seem to be doing much better with his pre-law courses. Of course they were doing well grade-wise. They were both smart, neither would have made it into Stanford, much less their desired programs if they’d not been top of their class, but it didn’t make it any easier. Most of the time they found themselves going to school and then back to their dorm to study and sleep. They were very lucky to be placed in Roble Hall where all the rooms were doubles and even luckier to be placed together.

Unlike Allison, who from their skype chats seemed to be doing much better after the discovery of her wolf only a week ago, they had had plenty of time to adjust to life without the pack. Even though he was no longer an alpha, Scott never thought that the echo of that feeling would leave him. It was like a residual feeling that pulled in his skin and sometimes made it hard for him to remember how to breath. Isaac was the best possible person to have with him and while that meant that he came before Stiles on the list and Scott felt guilty for even thinking that, it was true. Isaac was his beta once, he was the person he had given his powers up for. He loved Isaac, not in the same way as he did Allison, but he knew deep down that the boy would be his mate. The word was new to his thoughts, but it didn’t make it any more real. He often wondered if Isaac felt it, too. Their wolves nearly sang when they were together and it made the separation so much easier.

It didn’t mean that he didn’t feel it, though. On particularly hard days a text from Stiles or a snapchat from Danny was really the only thing pushing him to get through his paper to dinner. There was that one time that Cora had snapchatted a picture of her all wolfed out and one of his friends in his bio lab nearly died of shock. That had been a long and fun conversation about his weird theatre friend who had an addiction to stage makeup something fierce. Leo still wouldn’t look at him straight, but he figured that it was okay, their secret was safe.

There was nothing special about the October morning that found Scott sitting on his bed with papers all around the room. Isaac was still in class and Scott had taken a sick day to try and catch up with his lab work. Leo not looking at him also seemed to extend to him not liking to share his part of the notes and thus Scott’s lab report was filled with a lot of supposition and a little bit of extra research. It was a blessing to see the icon of Stiles and him from when they were kids along with the ringing that was a tell-tale sign that he’d forgotten to turn off his skype. What could a few minutes of talking to his best friend hurt?

“Hey buddy.” Stiles grinned over at him.

“Hey, you have no idea how happy I am to see you,” Scott admitted before realizing how true it was. He really did need Stiles on a day like today.

“I kind of figured that, what’s up?” Ever since the pack had separated for school Stiles had become even more intuitive towards everyone’s feelings. Scott always meant to bring it up to him, ask him how he always seemed to know just when everyone needed him, but now didn’t seem like the time or place. Right now he just needed his best friend to tell him that everything would be alright.

“I’m just stressed and I miss the pack.” Isaac, while being a great anchor for him when his need for pack was overwhelming, was also just one pack member and at times was just not enough. It also didn’t help that recently the blond was being distant, often staying out at study groups until late and only slipping into bed when he thought Scott was already asleep. Try as he might, Scott couldn’t think of what he might have done to anger the boy.

“I know, me too. What’s been up with you and Isaac though? I know something has been _off_.”

“I dunno, he’s just avoiding me.” Scott huffed, his homework completely forgotten. He pushed the books to the side and settled deeper into his bed, prepared to lie there until Stiles felt satisfied that he’d helped solve the issue.

“Well have you tried to bring it up?” Stiles asked and Scott rolled his eyes so hard it nearly hurt.

“I’m a dude, I’m not an idiot, Stiles. Give me some credit.” His best friend’s laughter made some of his irritation ebb away and Scott just smiled back. “Of course I’ve tried, but he keeps acting like nothing is wrong. But there is! He doesn’t come back until late and some nights he won’t even sleep in the same bed as me. When I ask him what’s up with that he just says he didn’t want to wake me, but of course I know that he’s lying!”

“Well do you think it could be pack related? I know that you two have it easier because you’ve got each other, but maybe he misses the pack and doesn’t know how to communicate it. You kinda have to remember that he’s got a rough past. There is no way he was allowed to talk about his feelings before the bite and ever since we’ve all been a bit busy running for our lives to establish that the pack is a completely safe space for all those sorts of things.”

“Huh, I’ve never thought of that.” Leave it to Stiles to make everything seem so simple when Scott had been giving himself headaches trying to sort it all out.

“Well it might not be that, but it’s worth a shot, don’tcha think? What else is bothering you? You still seem a little off.” Again the human was more in touch with the wolf inside of him than Scott felt any non supernatural being had a right to be, but he brushed his questions aside. Sometimes there was just no sense in question Stiles, he often was more confusing than the many beasts and beings that blew through Beacon Hills.

“I don’t know, I just feel like with Isaac being distant my wolf has been a lot harder to control. Whenever he’s around my wolf just wants everything to be okay again and when it’s not I feel like it’s trying to crawl out of my skin to get closer to Isaac and fix whatever the problem is.”

“That’s interesting.” Stiles says though his eyes are no longer focused on the video call. He’s obviously clicking on something on his screen and his fingers are flying on the keys. Even with Stiles’ headset in, Scott can hear the ‘click, click click’ of typing until it stopped as suddenly as it had started. Stiles’ eyes were scanning what Scott can only assume is text.

“Don’t do this to me, dude, what’s interesting?” Scott loves Stiles and his need for knowledge, he really does, but occasionally he goes a bit crazy with the power, a bit like one Lydia Martin, and Scott just wants to know what’s so interesting about his wolf no longer obeying him.

“Well I was just reading this part in the bestiary the other night, you know some light reading,” Scott rolled his eyes at Stiles’ definition of light reading, but the boy continued, “and it was all about how werewolves are often seen as more romantic because the wolf knows their mate on sight and they will mate for life. Basically werewolves can date and everything, but when they find their mate they know right away. If they aren’t at least formally courting their mate soon, the need to be with them can be overpowering and even drive them a little crazy. It doesn’t say that they have to become mated right away, that can wait for a while, but the relationship does need to be strong to keep the wolf inside happy. If one person is upset with the other the wolves can act poorly and even make it so the person is forced to set everything else aside until the problem is fixed.”

“Well that makes a lot of sense,” Scott replied without continuing and this time Stiles’ eyes snapped back to the video screen.

“Okay dude, now it’s your turn to use words.” Scott heavily considered not telling Stiles that he already knew that Isaac was his mate, that maybe he had known all along and just been too dense to recognize it. Actually knowing something that Stiles didn’t was a bit of a treat.

“Isaac is my mate.”

“Well duh.”

“What? How could you know that? I just figured it out!”

“Scott, seriously? Your wolf would not have let you give up your alpha powers for just anyone. When Derek did it, it only worked because it was his sister. For you, your wolf would have rathered died than give up its power unless it was for its mate. It’s a bit obvious, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure you’re still human?” Scott laughed while Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Yup, positive, now did you really think that I wouldn’t notice that you two were mates?”

“I guess you’re right, but why is Isaac acting weird then? Shouldn’t he know it, too?”

“Good question.”

“You mean you don’t already know? That’s a first.”

“Shutup man, I’m trying to help you out here!” Scott let out a bark of laughter that was most definitely not human. Stiles did his best to look displeased, but he couldn’t keep the face on for long and soon he was laughing too.

“Sorry, sorry, you’re right. Well why do you think he’s acting the way he is?”

“Would you mind if I talked to him?” Stiles’ tone was hesitant and Scott felt like he couldn’t possibly love the boy more.

“You’re never needed my permission to meddle before, why now?”

“Because this is important, I don’t want to upset your wolf.”

“I think my wolf would just be happy if you could fix whatever went wrong.” Scott reassured and Stiles smiled easily back.

“You got it, bro. Should he be in class right now? I can just give him a call.”

“He should have gotten out of class a few minutes ago, he doesn’t have study for an hour, normally this would be when we’d get lunch.”

“Okay, I’ll see if I can catch him then, I’d let you know how it goes, but I’m sure he’ll tell you himself.”

“Only if he’s talking to me by then.” Scott tried not to pout, but he felt a bit petulant and Stiles had never once faulted him for acting a bit like a child.

“He will be, I promise. Now go and get that homework done so you two can have hot makeup sex when he get’s back.”

“Stiles!” The two said their goodbyes and Scott logged out of Skype. He would have to finish his work before dinner if he planned on getting a decent night’s sleep anyway and he began to focus on the mountains of papers surrounding him.

* * *

Stanford was only three and a half hours out of Beacon Hills, but Isaac could swear it was so much warmer than he was accustomed to. Despite his wolf’s agitation with his lack of contact with Scott, Isaac felt pretty happy to walk around in the sun rather than taking lunch with his boyfriend. Ever since the two had moved into school things between them had been different and while Scott seemed less than aware that something was off, Isaac felt a strange surge of uncomfortable feelings whenever they were alone. He wasn’t in the least surprised when his phone went off and one look on the screen told him it was Stiles.

“So you talked to Scott?”

“Hello to you, too, pup.” It was a nickname that Stiles only used when they were alone and it made his wolf sing with happiness at the title. “I did talk to Scott, but only because he was online and I wanted to make sure you weren’t in class first.”

The tension that Isaac had felt knowing that Stiles was calling to talk to him about his own relationship issues bled out of him and he found an empty bench to sit on. He knew whatever conversation Stiles meant to have with him would be a long one and the section of the quad he was sitting in was thankfully vacant.

“So what did you two talk about?” Isaac sighed, knowing that this was going to be a long conversation. Stiles rarely let things go when they were bothering him and clearly whatever it was that was going on between the two werewolves was doing just that.

“Does it really matter? I’d rather talk about how you’re doing if that’s okay.” His voice was soothing and gentle to coax him into talking.

“Yeah, okay.” Stiles always seemed to know what to say to make him feel better. “I’ve been okay, stressed mostly.”

“Is it because the pack is so far away?” His tone was light and not in the least accusatory.

“Yes and no. For the most part Scott is just enough to keep my wolf happy, but I can’t help but feel like something is missing.” The lost sound in the werewolf’s voice was enough to make Stiles want to cry.

“Missing like the pack?”

“Missing-” Isaac huffed, frustrated that he didn’t know what words to use to explain how he was feeling. “This is hard, I never got to explain my feelings before-” His words died off then and Stiles picked up where he left off.

“I know, pup, I know it’s hard, but if you can find the words maybe you can tell me and I can help? Maybe if I can try and explain to you what I think is wrong you can tell me if I’m right?” Isaac hummed his consent over the line and Stiles began to speak again. “You know Scott is your mate. That’s not a question I’ve already told him I know, you’re going to actually talk to him about that if you want to know how I know. But you still feel like something is missing and that terrifies you and upsets your wolf. It’s not common for a wolf to feel like it has two mates, but under extenuating circumstances and wolf can mate to one person and then meet another who also fills that void and then it becomes a problem. Sound right so far?”

“Yeah, exactly right.” Isaac was breathless and Stiles took that as an excuse to continue.

“So the other mate, it’s Allison, and before you start I know because I’m not oblivious like everyone else in this pack. Good news is, Scott’s wolf knows that you’re his mate, but Allison is too, bad news is that Scott doesn’t know this yet. Again don’t ask me, I just know.”

“So what do I do?”

“Well you need to talk to Scott first, that’s the most important. Once you both are on the same page, you need to then talk to Allison. If she agrees to mate both of you, you’re all going to need to talk to Derek. All werewolves that mate must first have the approval of their alphas. You’re just lucky that both of your mates are in the pack, that makes all of this easier.”

“How do you know all the stuff about mates and werewolf etiquette?” Stiles never said he couldn’t ask him about those and the human let out a long suffering sigh.

“Bestiary, light reading. Somebody has to.” It was a very Stiles explanation and Isaac knew better than to push his luck.

“Okay. Well thank you, I’m going to skip study group and go talk to Scott.” He was finally feeling better than he’d had in days. He was even sort of looking forward to his conversation with his mate. The word sounded amazing in his head and his wolf howled his agreement.

“Okay good. And pup?”

“Yeah?”

“Everything is going to be fine, I promise.”

“Thanks Stiles.” Even through the phone Stiles could hear his smile.

“No problem.” Isaac hung up after say his goodbyes. It was nearing the end of what would normally have been their lunch break. Isaac sent a quick text to the kids he normally met up with and went by the cafe to pick up food for him and his mate. It had been hard to eat, he’d been sick with worry for days and he knew that Scott must be in the same condition.

* * *

Stiles pocketed his phone feeling rather proud of himself. He was sitting alone in his room when the door opened and his roommate walked in.

“Don’t tell me, your plan for world domination has finally begun.” When he’d finally opened up to Stiles, Harry actually seemed to have quite the sense of humor.

“Not quite, but I told you I still have room for another commanding officer!”

“Ha ha. Everything okay with your friends? You never talk about it, but I swear you’ve been doubling your worry lines for the past week.”

“Oh my God my beautiful face!” Stiles cried, pretending to smooth out invisible wrinkles. Harry also learned very early on not to humor him, much like the pack, and Stiles dropped the dramatics and laughed. “Yeah, they’re good now, lack of communication, but I fixed it.”

As if right on cue Stiles felt his phone go off in his pocket and he fished it out. There was an unopened text message from Derek.

“Ah the mysterious Derek.” Harry commented. Stiles had long since tired of insisting that he didn’t wear a particular face when Derek texted him. Harry always seemed to know anyway and Stiles just shrugged. Bless his roommate, he never made comment on the odd relationship the the two seemed to have and went to unpack his bag and fish out his homework.

_From Derek: I have no idea what you did, but thanks_

_To Derek: Np ;)_

_To Aiden: What’s wrong with our fearless leader?_

_From Aiden: ???_

_To Aiden: He just thanked me…_

_To Aiden: INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS!!!!_

“I think you broke Stiles.” Aiden said over the counter as he handed Derek the wrench he was looking for. They were in the shop doing that week’s practical.

“What?” Derek looked genuinely confused and a little worried.

“Relax. He thinks you’ve been body snatched.”

“What?” This time the question was more annoyed than anything and it made Aiden laugh.

_To Stiles: It’s all good, still himself._

_From Stiles: Good. Thanks for checking pup!_

Rolling his eyes, Aiden pocketed his phone before their professor noticed.

“What was that about?” Derek grumbled, tossing the wrench back at Aiden without even looking to make sure his beta was there. Since they’d moved in his relationship with the ex-alpha had strengthened and he was as close to him as the rest of the pack.

“Nothing, you know, Stiles.” It was answer enough and two fell back into companionable silence. Back in his room in Claremont, Stiles was giggling uncontrollably while Harry ignored him entirely, more than use to Stiles and his weird moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone who has been reading. I plan on wrapping this one up and then going back to writing the next story in my other series Home Is Where the Pack Is, which is set in the future of this universe. You can totally read this series before or after the other so I suggest while you're waiting for updates to go and start that one!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cora makes an appearance and we finally get to learn a little more about Stiles' roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stupid snow made this post so much later in coming out than I meant. I've been busy working or shoveling and sleeping off general exhaustion so I apologize! Also I just went back and edited some of the formatting, not sure how that got all messed up, sorry!

“Hurry up, Cora is going to be here any minute!” Stiles called to Lydia from the door of her suite. Danny was waiting beside him, smiling ruefully towards the closed bathroom door.

“You guys go ahead, I’ll catch up!”

“We had a late night, she’ll be a bit.” Danny laughed and pulled on Stiles’ arm, leading him out of the dorm and toward the visitors lot where Cora said she would meet them.

“You guys been good? I feel like it’s been ages!” Stiles threw his arm around Danny’s shoulder, pulling his pack mate closer. There weren’t many people around. It was a warm Saturday and most of the campus was empty. Most of the students were down at the beach soaking up the sun. Danny took the opportunity to scent the other boy while no one was looking.

“We saw you the other night! But yeah, we’re good.” Danny smiled now that he was satisfied that Stiles smelt a little more like pack.

“You still feeling lonely?” Stiles couldn’t help the fond feeling that bubbled up in his chest at Danny’s actions. He loved how close they were, how the pack allowed everyone to let loose in a way that they wouldn’t have felt comfortable with before.

“Not really as much.” Danny shrugged, letting Stiles’ arm fall gently from its perch. “Lydia’s been spending the nights in my room so it makes it easier.”

“Good.” Stiles let his arms hang beside him, swinging in the way they always seemed to do when he was looking to expel some extra energy.

“What about you? You’ve been asking how everyone else is, but how are you?” Danny looked equal parts concerned and nonplussed. Stiles would always put himself before the pack and while many of the wolves didn’t seem to notice, Danny could always see how much effort the human put into making the pack comfortable.

“I’m good,” Stiles laughed genuinely, “thanks for caring enough to ask, but helping the pack, that makes it easier for me. And the reading, that helps too.”

“I still can’t believe you’re reading the bestiary for fun.” Danny rolled his eyes. The two were at the edge of the lot. There weren’t many cars there and it would be more than easy for them to spot Cora’s rental with no problem. As if she’d known they’d just arrived she pulled into the lot. Her sleek Camaro was a dead ringer for the one that Derek drove. She claimed it made her feel closer to her brother, Stiles just figured it was because she’d never been good with change and seeing something that reminded her of her time on the road with just her brother made her feel calmer.

“Where’s Lydia?” Cora called in greeting as the tinted windows rolled down to reveal her bright smile.

“I’m sorry!” The girl in question called from up the path. They were planning on going out shopping for the day and Lydia was dressed to impress. She was wearing a short, high waisted floral skirt with a light blouse. Her hair was twisted in a perfect knot at the top of her head, her makeup done to kill.

“Whoa, I’m way underdressed.” Cora laughed and Lydia did a small twirl, kicking up her leg to show off the new stilettos that showed off her perfectly manicured toes.

“Don’t you worry after today we’re going to have you in a whole new wardrobe.”

“What the hell have we agreed to?” Stiles grinned, no in the least upset as he opened the door for Danny to crawl into the back, following him before setting the front seat upright for the ginger.

“Why thank you, Stiles.” Lydia flashed him a sultry smile before turning to Cora and wrapping the she-wolf in a tight hug. “Oh my God, I’ve missed having a girl around.”

“Hey!” The boys in the back chorused together. Danny was very proud of his gay best friend status and Stiles never liked being left out.

“Oh you know what I mean.” Lydia rolled her eyes, turning back to the girl at the wheel. “We’re going to Claremont Village we’ll grab a bite to eat first and then head over to American Apparel.”

Cora just smiled at Lydia’s bossy nature. She would never admit it, but she missed the banshee the most of the pack, besides her brother of course, and she slipped her sunglasses back into place before taking off. The car was filled with loud music and half conversations. Every new conversation that was started seemed to be forgotten for whatever new thing Stiles needed to cut in with or funny story Cora remembered from her’s and Derek’s childhood. Those were the best because while Derek was much more relaxed then before, Cora was really the only one who spoke about the time before the fire and it was enlightening to know about the confident and happy child Derek had been.

Lunch was another lively affair, Cora insisted on paying for the meal, despite the other three’s protests. She and Derek were more than well off with the settlement money from the fire and also from the hefty life insurance that their parents had left behind. Talia had been the most renowned lawyer in not just Beacon Hills, but in the entire county and technically the two would never have to work a day in their lives if they’d wanted to. Of course neither were the type to sit around and live off a tragedy and were both looking to make a living of their own.

After the bill was settled Lydia took Cora by the arm, knowing that the boys would be right behind them, and took her toward American Apparel. While she was accustomed to the Macys back near Beacon Hills, and nothing could replace her love for American Rag, Lydia was at home weaving through the many racks of brightly colored cloths.

“I don’t know if this is really me, Lyds.” Cora looked nervously around the overwhelming amount of clothes.

“Don’t worry, I know you’re not looking to get all dressed up, I just think an emerging singer should dress the part.” Lydia threw random articles at Stiles and Danny who both dutifully handled them with care. “You’re beautiful Cora, it’s about time you dressed like you knew it.” The normal bitchy tone was gone and a genuine smile made Cora relax.

“Okay, I trust you.”

“Good!” Lydia explained at the same time that Danny and Stiles gave the girl matching ‘abort mission’ looks that caused both girls to roll their eyes and move on to the next rack. “Why don’t you two be a dear and get a fitting room reserved for us. If Fred is working it shouldn’t be a problem. Of course Lydia was already friends with at least one person on staff.

“Yes Lydia.” They answered together before making their way to the safe space that was the dressing room, or anywhere that was away from Lydia.

“Is the Queen in today?”Fred laughed from his station at the fitting room door. Stiles walked in first, making his way to the back where there were empty racks conveniently waiting outside the largest room. “She called ahead to make sure the room was ready.”

“That sneaky little bitch, she always made it seem like chance, or her supreme rule that caused the room to suddenly be ready every time she felt like a little retail therapy.

“I heard that, Stiles. And Fred, what did I say about some things are better left a mystery?” Lydia sauntered in Cora and another sales associate hot on her heels. “I want them all on the racks and I’ll build the outfits before sending them in to Cora.”

The operation ran smoothly once Cora made it into a fitting room. The first [dress](http://store.americanapparel.net/california-select-original-cut-out-school-girl-dress_csv0303dl) that Cora tried on was a very Lydia pick. It was a black school girl cut out dress covered in red lilies. It hugged at her thin waist and fell away from hips enough to accent her curves without being too much. Lydia nodded her approval and Cora looked a little nervous, but smiled back. It was a lot easier after that. Cora couldn’t argue with a single thing that the fashionista threw her way and it quickly became really fun trying on new outfits, even if they weren’t all quite her. Stiles and Danny sat outside with Fred and the three rated each outfit, though most of their comments were focused on just how good Cora looked. Before long the girl was getting into it, even catwalking down the hall to show off every piece much to Lydia’s delight.

By the time the whole rack was sorted through, Cora found herself with five pairs of jeans, six dresses, two coverups, three pairs of shorts, fifteen various tops, and four skirts. Her favorite [outfit](http://store.americanapparel.net/tribal-rayon-loose-crop-top_rsarch304p) consisted of a tribal pattern black and white crop top and a pale seafoam green pencil skirt.

While a sales associate was bringing the clothes up to the counter, one dress still hung on the rack.

“That’s not for me is it?” Cora eyed the black open-back dress wearily. Lydia had been great about not pushing her boundaries all day and she wondered then if maybe the whole thing had been too good to be true. She’d hoped that the girl was above putting her friend in skimpy numbers that she normally reserved for herself.

“Oh no, I forgot about that. I wanted to try it on.”Lydia laughed and gently brushed Cora’s arm. “I’d never pick that for you, that dress is _so_ me.”

Lydia took the single number into the dressing room and Cora fell exhausted onto the bench between the two boys. Fred had gone to help ring in all of the clothes and Cora was free to scent Stiles and then Danny while she enjoyed being on the other side of the fitting room. When Lydia finally came out of the fitting room all three drew in an audible breath. Lydia looked stunning in the [black mini](http://store.americanapparel.net/tie-back-dress_rsacp365). The thin straps criss-crossed down her back, the bow that held it all together set at her lower back.

“Oh my God, Lydia.” Stiles was the first to respond while Danny jumped to his feet to circle the girl. Despite her confidant look, she was searching for their approval, something she’d only ever considered important of her closest friends.

“You look stunning Lydia, if I like girls…” Danny whistled and Cora nodded enthusiastically from behind him.

“Me too, Lyda. Damn girl.”

“Lucky for you I do!” Stiles piped up, laughing when the stern stare landed on him. “Oh come on, not even a smile.” That broke the girl and she giggled to herself.

“I really have the best friends.” Lydia pecked Danny, who was still at her side, on the cheek before going back to change into her original outfit. They make quick work of cashing out and making their way back to the car.

“This was great, we’ll have to do this again with Allison.” Cora smiled as the boys packed her clothes into the back of the car.

“Totally, I know she has an extended break for Thanksgiving and my classes are scheduled so I have some extra time too. We’re totally going to have a girls night when we all get back. We might need a boy or two to have bag holders, though.”

“I’ll go!” Danny offers, opening Cora’s door first, then walking around to get in himself. Stiles and Lydia followed after and they started to make their way back to campus.

“I’m going to have to drop you guys off and head back. There is an art gallery opening tonight and one of the girls living in my building is having her first showing. I promised her that I would go and support her.”

“That’s fine, you can show off some of your new clothes that way,” Lydia says brightly. “Will you be back before we all go home?”

“Probably, I think I’m catching a ride back with you guys anyway, I don’t really want to add that many miles to the rental.”

“Okay, great! I’m glad you could come out today.”

“Me too.” They pulled up to the curb and everyone climbed out. Cora gave Danny and Lydia goodbye hugs first, before pulling Stiles in close. “Can you wait a minute? I just want to talk for a second.”

“Sure thing, baby.” Stiles waves the other two off, making excuses about D&D at his dorm and that Cora was going to give him a lift. “So, what’s up?”

“I miss you guys.” Cora sighed, pulling the boy in for a hug again. He smelt the most of pack, even more than Danny who was dating a wolf and Lydia who was at least a supernatural creature in her own right. It would seem strange if it was anyone besides Stiles, but it just seemed right. “I thought that being alone would be okay. It’s not like I’ve never done it before.”

“Well it’s different now, we’re so much stronger as a pack, it’s natural for you to miss it. If you ever need anything you know where to find me.” Stiles was running a reassuring hand up and down her spine making her shiver and relax further into his grip.

“Derek was right about you.” It was barely a whisper and Stiles nearly missed it.

“What? He told you I was loud and too pushy for my own good?” Stiles laughed, no hurt or accusation in his tone. He was used to Derek and his hot and cold way of showing his gratitude toward Stiles, it was nothing new.

“No. When Derek drove me down, before he left, he told me that if I ever needed anything and I didn’t want to talk to him I could go to you. He said you were like the glue that held us all together.”

“Huh, he said that? That sound awful nice coming from sourwolf.” Stiles knew better than to hide the racing of his heart. Cora was a born wolf and she was more perceptive than Scott or Isaac. She would be able to feel his temperature rising and his pulse erratically beating.

“He does appreciate you, Stiles, he just has a funny way of showing it is all.” Cora smiled, pressing a kiss to his temple before nosing at his pulse point. Instantly, Stiles felt his body calm.

“Thank you for telling me that. I’m sure he has no idea that you did, though.”

“Nope, which is why we are never going mention this again, got it?”

“Got it!” Stiles smiled , his heart rate had relaxe to normal and Cora pulled away from the embrace, making her way back to her car. “See you later, pup.”

“Bye Stiles!”

* * *

The weeks to Thanksgiving passed with little to no excitement. Stiles kept up with the pack and his reading so long as Harry was out of the room. Things were going great, which should have been a good enough indication to the boy that things were about to hit the fan in a pretty big way, but despite all of his researching skills, sometimes the obvious things just missed him completely. He was working on his biology lab work when Harry came back from one of his random mysterious trips to whatever undisclosed location that he went to when he disappeared.

“Did you have a good time practicing riverdance?” Stiles grinned without looking up from his work.

“I’m not a secret riverdancer Stiles.” Harry rolled his eyes, completely use to his random assumptions. It was just past the halfway point of November and classes would be wrapping up for break in less than a week.

“Whatever you say, buddy. I keep telling you I am use to some pretty weird stuff, I don’t think you could shock me at this point.”

“And I keep telling you, Stiles, that I hardly doubt that.” It was all he ever said on the subject, and Stiles let out his customary sigh of indignation.

“Dude, if you really knew Lydia, I would bet that you’re wrong.”

“Once again, _dude_ I have yet to meet this mysterious Lydia. From the way that you spin it I’m well prepared to meet the most beautiful, smartest, strongest, sassiest, funniest, kindest human being on this planet and the next.”

“You know, I’m proud of you for remembering all of her better qualities! Anyway, her and Danny are supposed to be coming by later, so I’m sure you’ll see for yourself what I mean. That girl is a Queen and even Danny can agree that he is merely a handmaid in her shadow.”

“Your friends are _so_ weird.”

“You don’t know the half of it. Actually, there here now.” Stiles looked down at his phone at the snapchat that showed the front of his hall. “I’m going to go get them, be right back.”

Stiles ran down to let his friends into the dorm before bringing them back up to his room. They hardly ever met up at either of their dorms and while Danny had been by before, Lydia and he normally did the work for their shared class in the lab where they had access to all of the equipment.

“And this is my room!” Stiles threw open the door, surprised to find his roommate standing guard on the other side completely wolfed out. Literally.

“Dude, what the fuck? Your roommate is a werewolf?” Danny exclaimed and slammed the door.

“This is news to me too.” Stiles squeaked.

“ _What is she?_ ” Harry growled and Lydia flinched back.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a werewolf?” Stiles ignored the question and gold eyes focused back to him.

“You’re human, you smelt like what could have been pack, but also maybe just good friends and family. What is she?” He growled again and this time Stiles squared his shoulders, pulling rank like he’d seen Scott and Derek do when the pack got a bit out of hand. Growling in his best wolf impression, Stiles showed his teeth and blocked Harry’s view of Lydia. Interestingly enough, Harry backed down, shifting back into a human. _Huh, that’s very interesting._

“Why does it matter what Lydia is? You’re the one I’m more concerned about. How long were you going to take trying to figure out if I was part of a pack? By the way, I am. I’m part of the Beacon Hills Hale pack.” Harry seemed to cower back then, recognition dawning on his features.

“I thought that pack was dead.”

“Nope, not dead, new and improved, certainly not dead.” Stiles bit back. He felt very protective of his pack and he would not hear rumors about them from a stranger wolf. “Danny get Derek on the phone, I know he said no visiting, but we’re going to need him down here on this one. Harry, you’re going to get your phone and call your alpha, got it?”

“Uh, sure thing?” Harry fumbled for his phone and made a quick call, his voice hushed and too fast to understand.

“Derek wants to talk to you.” Danny handed the phone over and Stiles took the phone without taking his eyes off of Harry.

“Stiles, report.” It was more growl than words, but Stiles understood. Derek never used his alpha voice on Stiles, he knew it didn’t work, but even through the phone Stiles could tell that he was tense, most likely holding back all of his anger.

“Surprise my roommate is a wolf? Hey that sounds like a dollar paperback you’d find in a seven-eleven.”

“ _Stiles_.”

“I’m serious Derek, I didn’t know. You think I would have put Danny and Lydia in danger for this long if I had?”

“What about you, you could have been in danger.”

“Woah, don’t go down that road now, sourwolf, that’s a slippery slope. I’m lucky to even have lived this long.”

“ _Stiles_.” His tone was pained, whining like a puppy and Stiles took pity on him.

“Sorry, sorry. Look what do you need from me? I made sure he called his alpha, but I’m lost on werewolf etiquette after that.”

“That’s fine, you did enough, I’ll be there tomorrow, I’m sure his alpha has already told him the same. Aiden is coming with me, I want you, Danny, and Lydia in their dorm. In a mountain ash circle.” The last part seemed like an afterthought and Stiles nodded, his eyes flickering away from Harry for the first time. Lydia and Danny looked worried, but otherwise okay.

“What are you going to do when you get down here, big guy?”

“It’s general protocol for alphas to meet if their betas are coexisting, mostly for college like situations, but also for any other situation that would result in two betas from different packs to meet and live together for a time.”

“Even when they’re human?”

“Especially.”

“Okay, thanks for the heads up, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Stiles.”

“Yes Derek?” Stiles answered. He never used the alpha’s name unless he was in trouble, or if he wanted to reassure the man that despite his intact humanity, he still defered to him for all pack matters.

“Thank you.”

“Twice in one month? Seriously dude, you sick?”

“Goodbye, Stiles.”

“Bye!”

“So what’s the plan?” Lydia asked when Stiles hung up the phone.

“The alphas are going to have a meet and greet tomorrow. Tonight we sleep at Danny’s.”

“Stiles I swear I never meant you any harm.”

“We’ll see you and your alpha in the morning.” Stiles’ cold look locked on to his roommate before he left his room, quickly following after his pack mates. He spent a fitful night between Danny and Lydia, trying his best to not feel like he’d completely failed his pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter should be out before the end of the week! I hope you guys liked that little surprise!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles and Derek confront Harry and the alpha and some secrets that Stiles has been keeping from the pack come up. Also bonus mini epilogue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was supposed to come out on Tuesday or Wednesday, so sorry for the delay!

It was an uncharacteristically cool morning when Derek and Aiden arrived. If Stiles hadn’t been so nervous he would have pointed out how the universe had a really sick sense of humor. As it was he’d hardly slept all night and Danny and Lydia looked worse for wear as well. The three were waiting in the same parking lot as they had nearly a month ago, waiting for another Camaro, but the feeling in the air was completely different. Lydia wrapped her arm around Stiles’ pulling him close while Danny stood behind them, chin on Stiles’ shoulder, hand on Lydia’s lower back. When the recognizable black car rolled into the lot and parked, the three waited, tense, holding on to each other like a lifeline. Derek got out of the car first though Aiden wasn’t far behind and the two walked over, both with stony looks on their faces.

“Stiles.” Derek nearly whispered. Neither would admit that the sound made the boy’s breath hitch in his throat.

“Derek.”

“Lead the way.” Danny untangled himself from the pair and Lydia laced her hand in Stiles’ larger one. Derek flanked the boy’s other side without word. The group made their way toward one of the less occupied parks near campus.

Harry and his alpha were standing off to the side, the former staring at the ground in shame. Despite the lying and secrecy Stiles still couldn’t help, but pity the boy. It was obvious from the way the older man held onto his arm with a bruising grip that alpha was lacking even more in the empathy department that Derek ever had.

“Alpha Hale.” It should have sounded respectful, but the alpha before them managed the greeting with an unhealthy amount of spite.

“Alpha?” Derek prompted, his jaw set, eyes hard. Stiles wrapped his hand around the werewolf’s wrist. Derek didn’t move, didn’t flinch, and Stiles took it as a good sign. Danny took up Derek’s left and Aiden fell into Lydia’s right. The two shifted closer to each other and Stiles held back a smirk.

“Ramirez.”

“Got a first name Ramirez?” Stiles quipped back.

“I would get a better hold on your beta’s, Hale.” He didn’t even spare a glance for Stiles.

“Oh like you have on yours? Why couldn’t Harry smell the pack on me? I’d just seen everyone the day before I’d left for Claremont, he should have been able to smell of them on me but couldn’t! Do you wanna know what I think? An alpha is as strong as his pack, but a beta is as skilled as his alpha is willing to train him.” Stiles glared, his rant ending with all of his pack mates folding in around him to give him strength and to protect him.

“Stiles is right.” Derek said, ever the wolf of words.

“Are you actually deferring to your beta? Maybe that’s why we’ve never heard of your pack coming back, you’re weak because your betas don’t even respect you.” The sneer was what set Derek off and it took Stiles’ strong grip on his arm to keep him from launching at the man.

“Calm it, sourwolf. I can handle this one.” Stiles let go of his alpha and felt Lydia’s thin fingers slip from his hand.

“So disrespectful.” Ramirez tutted and Stiles flashed his human teeth in warning.

“Listen to me very clearly, Ramirez. I have more respect for Derek than you could ever comprehend. That man has been through hell and back and in the end the love he has for us, for his pack, you don’t even know. Derek has opened his door to us and made us all a family that none of us would have had without him. So don’t even start with my treatment of my alpha. I may be human, but that doesn’t make me any lesser.

“Second of all, don’t mistake me for a beta, because I’m not.” Stiles felt his pack mate’s confusion over the bond that he shouldn’t even feel due to his humanity. Derek was radiating realization and understanding and Stiles knew that he was okay to push in with his rant. “You see, I might be a human, but I’m something so much more. I bet you that I know more about pack dynamics than you do and let’s face it that’s just sad. You see in a pack there is more than alpha, beta, and omega, if you knew what it meant to be an alpha then maybe you would know that. In a pack there is also the pack mate, the caretaker, the healer, and the emissary. The alpha and mate take up the prime leading rolls, then the power splits between the alpha’s second, the caretaker, and the healer, sometimes they’re all the same. In our case, we have our alpha and our second. I’m the caretaker, the one who helps all of the betas with their problems and is added support when the alpha isn’t around. So actually I’m not a beta. You should have been able to recognize that, but then again you suck.”

Ramirez lunged forward, eyes red and fangs baring. Derek growled and ran forward as Aiden pulled Stiles back into his arms. Danny and Lydia were behind the muscled wolf and Stiles was forced to watch as the alphas circled each other.

“Let me go, Aiden.”

“No can do, Stiles.” Aiden growled, knowing that Derek would skin him if anything happened to the boy.

“Let go of me now.” Stiles tried again, doing his best ‘I-am-alpha-hear-me-roar’ also known as Derek’s bitch and whine voice.

“Damn it, don’t pull rank.” Aiden whined as he let go of the smaller boy. Stiles wormed his way toward the glaring pair, grabbing at his alpha and making him back down.

“Come on sourwolf, we can sort this out nice and easy. You promised me talking and less blood, this is looking it’s going to end in lots of blood and me trying to talk you out of getting put in jail.”

“Stiles is right,” Derek sighed, blinking away his red eyes. “My pack means no harm to yours and if Harry and Stiles are living together then that means we’ll draw a treaty for our packs.”

“Screw you and your treaties. Harry, we’re going. Now.”

“Wait, you’re pulling him out of school?” Stiles exclaimed, head snapping to meet eyes with Ramirez. “You can’t do that!”

“You might run your stupid excuse for a pack, but not mine.” The alpha yanked on the boy’s collar and pulled him away. No one missed the way Harry struggled for breath, but Derek’s outstretched arm stopped Stiles from trying to help.

“Stiles, let him go. He’s right. We don’t have any authority in his pack.” Derek hissed and Aiden stepped up to wrap a comforting arm around the boy.

“That’s shit.” Stiles whined. His face was firmly pressed into Aiden side and silent tears were slowly soaking into his shirt.

“Hey it’s okay, Stiles. His pack might suck ass, but we have the best pack ever. We’ve got Derek to protect us and you to make everything else better. You’re the best pack mom, ever.”

“What did you just call me?” Stiles’ glare was emphasized by his drying tears.

“I said you were the best pack mom ever. That’s what most packs call the caretaker, kind of like werewolf slang?” What started as a statement ended in a question as Stiles glared up at the built wolf, using what talents he could to detect a lie or any teasing. When he found none, his face relaxed and pulled the boy back in for another tight hug.

“Thanks Aiden, that might just be the best compliment that anyone as every given me.” Stiles laughed as the wolf within the boy began to purr in happiness.

“His wolf is happy that the caretaker of the pack is giving it attention.” Derek answered the question that Stiles didn’t even need to voice. “As glad as I am that this ended well, we need to talk.”

Stiles sighed, rolling his eyes so only Aiden could see. The boy couldn’t hold back his laugh, squeezing the boy once more before letting go. Danny and Lydia made up lame excuses to go back to their room and Aiden invited himself. He and Derek were going to a trade college, there was no campus life to speak of and he was dying for a chance to see real dorms. It also conveniently left their alpha and pack mom alone to talk.

“Look Derek, I should have told you as soon as I knew that I was becoming the pack caretaker, I should have mentioned the extra pack senses and all that, so I’m really sorry.” Stiles spoke to the ground and shuffled his feet. For his part, he’d meant everything he’d just said, even if he wouldn’t have changed a thing given the chance.

“I’m not mad Stiles, I’m just worried that you don’t understand the responsibility of being the caretaker.” Again Stiles noticed that he refused to call him a pack mom like Aiden had and man did that hurt more than the boy would have expected.

“Trust me, I get it. I’ve spent most of my semester juggling my own homework while simultaneously keeping tabs on all of the pups and helping them with their homework and fixing all of their problems.” Derek gave him an odd look for the term pup, but Stiles rolled his eyes and pushed on. This was important, to Stiles, to the pack, and he be damned if Derek’s eyebrows were going to derail a much needed rant. “And don’t get me wrong, I love it. I love helping them, love knowing that when Allison calls me at three am because Ethan is away at an all night cram session I am the only other person in the world that can calm her enough to get her to sleep. I love that Aiden will sneak out of the room at your shared apartment, and thanks for telling us all about that yourself by the way, and tells me that he’s so happy to finally get close to you it warms my heart. Do you know that he still has nightmares about the alpha pack? He still dreams about what he did, and you know how hard it was for me to forgive him, but after everything with Peter, with Isaac,” and damn it if his voice didn’t crack then, “he and Ethan are pack and I love them just like I love the rest of them and I tell Aiden that it’s okay, because even though it still hurts at times, the thought of losing them makes the thought of losing my own limbs sound more appealing. They are my family Derek, I meant every word I said. They need me and I need them and I will not let you take that away from me!”

“Are you finished?” It was the most Derek response that he could have said and it made Stiles laughed despite himself.

“For now, I guess.”

“Good.” Derek caught his eye then and Stiles felt like it was impossible to look away. “First of all, you’re an idiot.”

“Hey!”

“ _Let me finish._ ” Derek said through gritted teeth and boy did Stiles always want to hear those words from those sinful lips for all of the wrong reasons. “You’re an idiot if you thought I was trying to talk you out of being the caretaker, the pack mom,” Stiles did a mental fist pump at Derek’s use of the term. When Aiden had first said it, it had sounded weird, but he found he quite liked hearing it over and over again, “no amount of me complaining or using my alpha powers could ever make you not their mom and before you get all upset on me, I’m not trying to push you away from the roll either. It suites you”

It was quite possibly the most that Derek had ever said at one time to Stiles in a private conversation in the history of ever. Stiles was secretly very proud of him. It was the closest to open and deep emotional talks the two had ever gotten and a small part of Stiles, the part that felt the pack the strongest, soared knowing that his alpha was willing to confide in him like the betas did, even if it wasn’t to the same extent.

“Good to know, Sourwolf.” Stiles smiled, finally feeling his body relax. “You do know that you can come to me too, right? If you ever miss the pack and need someone to talk to I will never judge you and I will never tell the pack anything you say to me unless I think you’re putting yourself in danger.” Derek blushed at the speech and this time Stiles couldn’t contain it and made a very small, not very subtle fist pump.

“You sound like my therapist.” Derek growled.

“You have a therapist?” Stiles blurted out, bug-eyed. The reaction came out before he could stop himself an Derek’s glare only intensified.

“Yeah, not anymore. Just used to talk to her, before things got better.” Well that certainly explained a lot. Back in the old days he often disappeared for hours at a time and never gave explanation as to where. Even when Scott had been alpha it had happened, if Stiles had to guess the random trips off the grid stopped about the time that everyone had accepted Aiden and Ethan and things had started on the way up that they were going now. That was about the time when Derek had become alpha again.

“Well, I think that’s good, but just because things get better doesn’t mean that you don’t still need to talk out the things going on in your head. I don’t care if you go back to your therapist or if you talk to me, but just make sure you’re talking.”

“Lie.” Derek said without any anger. Stiles cringed slightly and ducked his head. Of course he would care if Derek continued to go to someone else instead of talking to him. While the person he was seeking out before would be a professional with unbiased advice, Stiles was pack and would be the only other person to understand what that meant and how the beta’s health and happiness meant another day above water level, even when the world seemed to be trying to drown them.

“Okay, fine. Could you come to me instead?”

“Sure. I never really liked speaking with Morin anyway.”

“You used to talk to our old guidance counselor? The one who was emissary to the alpha pack?”

“Well talking to Deaton was just weird.” Derek said with a shrug and Stiles threw his hands up in exasperation.

“Seriously!” It wasn’t a question and Derek didn’t feel the need to justify himself any longer so instead he leveled the boy with one of his classic glares. It was the one that Stiles always categorized as glare number one. It meant that Derek was not putting up with his shit, but also that he found Stiles kind of funny and he was allergic to smiling so instead he glared. The only problem with Hale Glare Number One (patent pending) was that more recently there was a little more upturn to the lips and a little less furrowed eyebrows and soon it would be dangerously close to a real smile. “Fine, whatever. We should find the pups before they think we’ve killed each other.”

“Why do you call them pups?” Derek’s question startled Stiles and he found he didn’t really have an answer so instead he shrugged.

“It fits them.” Derek seemed satisfied with the response the two made their way back towards the dorms in silence.

“Aiden was thinking about having a party when everyone comes home.”

“Yeah he told me, he said you weren’t sure.” Stiles wasn’t sure what made the man bring it up, but he also wasn’t going to push his luck.

“I just don’t think it’s a good thing to hang out at the loft anymore.” Stiles let out a small, grateful sigh. He had been feeling the same for quite a while and it was nice to hear the alpha agree. “That’s why I got us the apartment, but it’s not very big.”

“What about the old house?”

“That’s not safe.”

“I know that, I mean why not fix it up? We could all help.” Silence fell between them again and Stiles knew that it was a ‘no’ without needing the werewolf to say it. “Okay, we can all go to my house. My dad and I normally have Melissa and Scott over, and Isaac now too, whats a few more people?”

“The whole pack is hardly a few more people.”

“You know what I mean.” Stiles rolled his eyes. Of course Derek needed to be overly literal. “Anyway, I know Dad would love it.” As if what mattered to Derek was his dad’s feelings, but the alpha seemed to be swayed by the words.

“That sounds good then.” Stiles beamed at him, pulling out his phone to snapchat a picture of the dorm to let the others know they were there and needed to be let in. “You don’t have to do all of this, you know.” Stiles smiled, warm and delighted. Derek was thanking him, again, in his own emotionally constipated way and it was actually adorable.

“You’re welcome.” He meant it to sound cheeky, but it came out sincere and the two shared a small smile before the pups came barrelling outside to meet them.

“So thanksgiving at the Stilinski abode this year!” Stiles greeted them cheerfully and was welcomed with three crushing hugs. If Derek was smiling softly on the sidelines Stiles was the only to notice and he kept his promises. Plus he rather liked to think that the very private smile on Derek’s face was for the boy himself and for no one else. Stiles knew then that he could do it. He could be mother to a pack of crazy werewolves and other supernatural entities and that it would all be because of one very sourwolf who would always be there to support him.

**Epilogue**

“Scott if you don’t share those mashed potatoes I swear to god I will lace your ice cream with wolfsbane!” Stiles hollered from the kitchen. He was answered by a pathetic whining sound floating through from the dining room.

“How did you know?” It was truly sad sounding and Stiles hid his smile.

“I’ve known you since you ate sand in the sandbox, dude, you don’t share mashed potatoes, ever.”

“You should lighten up, you made extra just for him.” Isaac wolf grinned from his spot next to Stiles. The werewolf was acting sous chef for the day.

“Sh! He doesn’t need to know that.” Stiles bumped shoulders with the boy before turning back to the huge turkey in the oven. Lydia was in charge of the other turkey because obviously the pack could eat him out of house and home on a good day and when you add in thanksgiving sides and the likes Stiles ended up relying on others to help cook, something he’d not had to do in quite some time.

“You need a hand in here?” Danny asked, Ethan and Aiden were at Lydia’s, where Danny must have just come from because the boy had not been there last Stiles checked. Quickly he felt for all of his pack bonds, satisfied that everyone felt fine, happy even.

“Sure if you want to start bringing all that stuff in? Can you get Derek in here? The turkey is about done and I’m going to need him to bring it into the other room.” Danny nodded his agreement just as the doorbell rang.

“Lydia’s here!” Isaac smiled happily and his father called out from the front of the house that he got the door.

“Hey guys!” Everyone was clamoring to greet their packmates when Derek made his way into the kitchen.

“Oh good, just who I need.” Stiles smiled fondly as he opened the oven wide. “Can you bring this over for me?”

“Sure.” It was easy, whatever it was that was between them. More times than not, Derek was at a complete lack of words and Stiles talked more than enough to fill in the gaps, but it was comfortable and for the first time since they’d all come home, Stiles felt like he wasn’t the only caretaker in the pack. It was a wonderful feeling.

“This is all set!” Isaac announced over the gravy Stiles had taught him to make.

“Good, I’ll meet you in the dining room.” Stiles picked up a few plates as Derek led the way.

The dining room had never looked this full before. Stiles was amazed that Allison and Scott had managed to arrange the extra table and chairs to accommodate the entire pack. Even Chris was there, though he looked a little less them comfortable in the middle of the largest pack he was likely to have ever come across. Melissa was sitting to one side of him and his daughter on the other. Of everyone they would pose the least threat and the courtesy seemed put the ex-hunter at ease. Even Deaton was there, having been invited by Scott and he seemed to be smiling for once, the normal grim expression he wore seemingly left at the door. Scott was sitting with Allison to his left, a seat for Isaac to his right. The rest of the pack fell into their seats around them, leaving Derek at the head of one end and his father at the other. It seemed fitting to Stiles and he took his seat next to Derek, he could nearly hear the teasing from Aiden across the table, and he shot the boy a quick look that silenced anything before it could start. When he was sure that everyone was seated, Stiles cleared his throat and stood.

“So before we all dig in, I just wanted to thank you all for coming. We’ve never really said grace and all that, but I did want to take a second to let you all know how much this means to me, to us.” Stiles looks to his dad and sees the proud smile that was directed at him and it gave him enough push to continue “My Dad and I have really only had each other for family for a long time. Scott and Melissa have always been there for us, though and when the four of us started this tradition all those years ago I am pretty sure we could never have guess just how much our ragtag family could grow. I know we all have our differences,” Stiles looked to Chris at that, smiling wide at his eye-roll, “but I can totally say that everyone at this table now is family. I know it’s not quite the most conventional one ever,” Allison smacked Scott on the hand when he began to laugh, “thanks for that Alli, anyway, what I’m trying to say is, I love you guys, so thanks for putting up with me.”

“Here, here.” Cora joked from across the table and Stiles pretended to look hurt.

“Can I say something too?” Derek’s question is quiet and Stiles almost missed it.

“Of course you can.” Stiles let his hand brush over the alpha’s arm to give him some added strength. He wasn’t sure if he imagined the grateful smile back, but at the suggestive wink Aiden gave him, he doubted it was his imagination.

“Like Stiles, all I had for family was Laura. It was a long, dark time before Cora came back into my life and by then I gave up hope of having pack again, having family. I know that I’ve messed up a lot along the way, there should be more people here with us today, and they’re not.” Isaac and Cora brushed aways tears thinking of Erica and Boyd, “But we’re all here now, and I couldn’t be happier.”

“Alright guys,” Stiles piped up again after a pregnant pause seemed to take over, “dig in!”

Dinner was a loud affair. The pups were good for the most part since Lydia had threatened that anyone to make a mess or cause a scene on the Stilinski property would have to deal with her, pack or not. While Derek, Stiles, and Scott should have had the most authority, Lydia was by far the scariest and Stiles was more than happy to let the banshee take over the role of assigning punishment to the unruly group that he called family.

“Thank you, for inviting us.” Cora near whispered at the end of the night while everyone was either passed out from good food or slowly helping the cleanup process.

“No need to thank me.” Stiles pulled her into a tight hug. “But if your sourwolf of a brother wanted to thank me with actual words…” Cora hid her giggle in his shirt and Stiles beamed back.

“He means well he’s just…”

“Derek, I know.” Stiles grinned back. “Come on, I think I saw the start of a puppy pile in the living room and I think if we hurry up we can get prime spots on the edge and not get crushed.”

By the time the Thanksgiving game came to an end, everything, including Deaton and Chris, found themselves in the Stilinski livingroom, fast asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back to writing the other series again, though that one will have less stories over all than this so I might end up posting the stories to both series at the same time, not sure, but if you want go read the other series, it's set in the future in the same universe!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone liked this! The next chapter should be out soon!
> 
> NOTE: I made a minor edit in this chapter, Lydia and Danny are at WEST not NORTH now and Stiles is at EAST not CASE. This might seem minor, but I promise I have my reasons! (Mostly I did research on dorm life in Harvey Mudd and oops I put them in the wrong halls!)


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